Measuring dispenser



y 8, 1950 w. L. SAUNDERS 2,515,735

MEASURING DISPENSER Filed Oct. 22, 1946 WA INVENTOR. V ('5' SA 0/1/06"R6 JrrOR/VEYG Patented July 18, 1 950 ns'lilt'l lils TENT OFFICE2,515,735 MEASURING DISPENSER. Wallace L. Saunders, Kingston, Pa.Application October 22,1945, Serial No. 704,907

" t 2 Claims. (01. 222 4s0) The present invention relates to new anduseful improvements in measuring dispensers embodying means adapted todischarge measured quantities of the contents thereof and designedparticularlyfor use in dispensing granular substances, such as sugar,flour, salt, pepper, spices, medicines, tooth powder and similarmaterials.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a measuringdispenser of this character in the form .of a .cap or closure for a jaror similar receptacle and ,whichjalso may be constructed as a built-inunit for packaged'goods in which the material is contained.

A further object of the invention is to provide a measuring container bymeans of which a predetermined quantity within a relatively wide rangemay be dispensed from the container.

A still further object is to provide a device of this character ofsimple and practical construction, which is efficient and reliable inuse, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adaptedfor the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein likenumerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which- Figure 1 is aside elevational view showing the measuring dispenser in position on ajar and with parts of the jar broken away and shown in section. I

Figure 2 is an enlarged top plan sectional view through the containertaken substantially on a line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of thedispensing mechanism in inverted position.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the inverted dispensingmechanism of Figure 3, but showing the opening in a side wall of thehollow stem of the valve.

Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional view through the dispensertaken substantially on a line 5-5 of Figure 3, and

Figure 6 is a plan view of the rotating valve.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein for the purpose ofillustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention,the numeral 5 designates a substantially frustoconical cap having aninternally threaded flange 6 at its edge adapted for threaded engagementwith the open end of a jar 1 or similar container or integrallyconstructed with a container 2 adapted to contain granulated materialsuch as indicated at 8.

The cap 5 is of a generally solid construction and is formed with acentral bore 9 having a plurality of pockets or recesses II] extendingradially therefrom, each of the pockets being open at the inner surfaceof the cap and communicating at one edge with the bore.

A disk valve II is rotatably mounted against the inner surface of thecap 5 and adapted to cover the pockets or recesses ID, the valve havinga radially extending slot l2 therein adapted to selectively registerwith the pockets or recesses ill to thus provide communication betweenthe interior of the container 1 and. the pockets.

The valve H includes a hollow stem IS integrally formed therewith androtatably mounted in the bore 9 of the cap. A longitudinally extendingslot M is formed in the stem l3 and adapted for selective registry withthe pockets or recesses H3 at the inner edges of the pockets so thatmaterial contained in the pockets may be received in the stem forsubsequent discharge through the open outer end thereof.

As will be apparent from an inspection of Figure 2 of the drawings theslots [2 and M are offset circumferentially so that when the slot I 2 isin registry with one of the pockets ID the slot M will be out ofregistry therewith so that discharge of the material 8 directly throughthe stem i3 is avoided.

An annular member I5 is threaded or otherwise suitably secured to theouter end of the stem l3 with its outer surface knurled or milled asindicated at I6 to provide a finger-grip for rotating the valve H andstem l3.

A locking lever ll is pivotally mounted adjacent one end in a slot l8 ofthe member l5 with the inner end of the lever adapted for movement intoand out of the path of a plurality of lugs l9 formed atcircumferentially spaced intervals on the outer surface of the cap 5,the lugs being arranged for retaining the valve and stem againstmovement when the slot I2 is in registry with one of the pockets orrecesses I0.

In the operation of the device with the cap 5 secured in position on ajar or other container 1 in the manner as indicated in Figure 3 of thedrawings, the lever I1 is released to permit rotation of the annularmember or knob it so that the slot I2 will be brought into registry withone of the pockets of recesses I 0. The lever automatically returns toits locking position as shown in Figure 3 when the container isinverted.

By inverting the container the selected pocket 3 will then be filledwith the material and then by further rotating the knob IS the slot [4will be moved into registry with said pocket while the slot l2 will bemoved out of registry therewith and the contents of the pocket will thenbe discharged through the open end of the stem l3.

As indicated in Figure 2 of the drawings, the pockets or recesses l maybe constructed of different sizes of capacity corresponding to theamount .of material desired to be dispensed from the container.

It is believed that the details of construction, manner of operationsand advantages of the device will be readily understood from theforegoing without further detailed explanation.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. A measuring dispenser comprising a cap adapted for attachment to acontainer, said-cap having a central bore therein, there being aplurralitywof rad-ial-ly-disposed pockets in said cap in spaced relationabout said central bore, and

avalve ;rotatab1y1-mounted in the bore of said can-said valve includinga hollow stem provided with a longitudinally-extending slot, a discprovided with a radially-extending slot on one end rof'saidstem,-and-means on the other end of said stem for rotating the latter,said stem upon being rotated causing theslot in said disc to be broughtinto registry with one of said pockets in said cap to admit contentsfrom the container into said pocket, and subsequently causing said slotin said stem to be brought into registry with said filled pocket to-vdischarge the contents from the latter into said stem.

2. A measuring dispenser comprising a cap adapted for attachment to acontainer, said cap having a central bore therein, there being aplurality of radially-disposed pockets in said cap in spaced relationabout said central bore, and a valve rotatably mounted in the bore ofsaid cap, said valve including a hollow stem provided with alongitudinally-extending slot, a disc provided with a radially-extendingslot on one end of said stem, andmeansonthe other end of said stem forrotating the latter, said stem upon being rotated causing the slot insaid disc to be brought into registry with one of said pockets in saidcap :to admit contents from the container into said pocket, andsubsequently causing said slot in said stem to be brought into registrywith said filled, pocket to discharge the contents from the latter intosaid stem, and locking means on said cap-tor retaining said slot of saiddisc in registry with one of said pockets of said cap.

'WALLACE L. SAUNDERS.

-REFERENCES CITED The following references'are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date v 412,817 Willis Oct.15, 18891,914,766 Zaloschan June :20, v1933 1,943,199 Asplund Jan. 9, 19342,072,938 Berg Mar. :9, 1937 2,363,747 Reece et al Nov. 28, 1944

